Good points. Most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, will have at times done things that were really dumb when viewed with 20/20 hindsight. Things that the could have (or perhaps did) put us in life threatening situations. I know I sure have. We make a series of small decisions that individually don't seem all that serious, but eventually lead us into very dangerous situations. It has happened to me, more than once, but so far I've managed to out of it OK, either by luck or skill.

A wrong turn, a warning sign covered with dirt or snow, a funky map, a gate left unlocked.....any number of things could have happened. I presume that the authorities will try to work out the chain of events/decisions that put them into that situation. The story of the Kim familly in Oregon, and the story about the German familly in Death Valley are examples of how reasonable people can get into life threatening situations.

I think the most productive thing is to try to learn what went wrong, and try to avoid making similar mistakes ourselves. And also to recognize that we well might someday make other mistakes, and try to be prepared so that our dumb move doesn't become a fatal move.